Impacts of PV, AC, and Other Technologies and Tariffs on Consumer Costs

The uptake of technologies such as air conditioners, PV, solar water heaters and energy efficiency options can both increase or decrease electricity use as well has increase or decrease demand peaks. These effects may not only change electricity costs for the households that use them, but also the costs of other households.

This project involved the development of a model that can quantify these impacts on households, as well as on networks and retailers. This will be useful to consumers, utilities and policy-makers, so that tariffs and regulatory frameworks can be designed to maximise income to utilities while minimising costs to consumers.

The APVI conducted this research for the Centre for Policy Development, with funding from the Consumer Advocacy Panel.